No officials to greet victorious women’s team
The women’s hockey team that returned home early on Tuesday after winning the Champions Challenge II tournament was disappointed to see no official to receive them at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi.
The women’s hockey team that returned home early on Tuesday after winning the Champions Challenge II tournament was disappointed to see no official to receive them at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi.
Coach MK Kaushik said they were expecting somebody from the official circles to welcome them at the airport on their return from Kazan, Russia. “The team reached here early morning. So at least we were expecting some officials to welcome us at the airport. We are not complaining, but somebody could have come with a bouquet or two and wished the girls good luck for their performance,” Kaushik said. Hockey India (HI) secretary general Mohammad Aslam said it was decided that the team members would disperse from the airport.
“The players had not gone home for more than a month as they were training before the tournament. So it was decided that the team would disperse from the airport so that they can go to their home towns. We had arranged for connecting flights from the domestic airport,” Aslam said.
“So we thought there was no need for a reception function at the airport, because the players had to immediately leave for their destinations,” he added. Asked about news channels showing some players taking a cab, Aslam said: “We had made arrangements. Only two players from Hisar had to take some other mode of transport.”
Aslam, who was in Dehradun, added: “Had I been in Delhi, I would have definitely received the team. President AK Matoo is in Singapore and two other officials had some pressing personal matters to take care of.”
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